The invention relates to an improved process for the polymerization and the copolymerization of olefins. The invention also concerns a novel catalyst component and a novel catalyst produced by activation thereof, which may be used for polymerization and a method for the preparation of the novel catalyst component.
Catalysts comprising the following components have been disclosed heretofore:
(1) an activator generally constituted by an organometallic compound
(2) a solid catalyst component having at least on its surface active sites which are comprised of:
(a) a compound of a transition metal belonging to Groups IVb, Vb or VIb of the Periodic Table wherein the compound perferably contains halogenated substituents; PA1 (b) chemically bound oxygen; PA1 (c) halide ions PA1 (d) a bivalent metal selected from magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron, nickel and cobalt.
The exact nature of the active sites of the solid catalyst component is not known precisely, but it has been assumed that the elements (a) and (d) are associated by means of oxygen.
The solid catalyst component (2) which becomes an effective polymerization catalyst, when combined with an activator is prepared by reacting an appropriate compound of a bivalent metal with a halogenated compound of a transition metal; this reaction is carried out in a medium of halogenated transition metal compound at a temperature of about 40.degree. and 180.degree. C.
Examples of compounds of bivalent metals which yield such solid catalyst components include hydroxyl poor oxygenated compounds; for instance, salts of carboxylic acids as disclosed in French Pat. No. 1,516,800 of Oct. 21, 1966 and its addition No. 93,816 of Sept. 1, 1967.